Shoe upper stretching machine



1938- I. LA CHAPELLE 2131,40

SHOE UPPER STRETCHING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 mven 70y.

@ct. 4, 1938. E. LA CHAPELLE' SHOE UPPER STRETCHING MACHINE Filed 001;. 21, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 g f a o 3l' Z6 3 1 2 I 29 l i 26 2 :l ,9 23 24 l I 5 4 34 I J5 I I7 44 Oct, 4, 1938. E. l. LA CHAPELLE 2,131,84Q

SHOE UPPER STRETCHING MACHINE Filed 001;. 21, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATE OFFICE SHOE UPPER STRETCHI'NGY MACHINE:

Euclid I. La Ghapelle, =Brockton,

Mass.-, as signor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of;New Jersey Application October 21 1936, Serial No. 1116.765

15 Claims. (01.12-9'7) This invention relates to machines for stretch ing shoe uppers before they are mounted .ontheir lasts and is herein illustrated in its application to a machine for applying lengthwise tension-to that portion of a shoeupper extendingfromthe' throat portion of the upper toits rear end.@

It is a general practice in the'manufacture of shoes to stretch theshoe upper overthe last by means of a pulling-over machine whichstretches' the upper lengthwisefrom its heel end to its toe pulling-over machine in'order thatthe uppenlas it comes to the pullingover machine, may be in such a condition that thatportion of theupperstretching operation remaining to be performed by the pulling-over machine may be performed without danger 'of straining the seams uniting the quarters to the vamp even though the upper mayhave been cut'somewhat scant.

With the above object in view, the invention in. one aspect thereof consists in 'the'provi'sion, in a machine for stretching lengthwise a shoe upper having a vamp and quarters united 'to the vamp by seams, of a shoe upper holding member herein illustrated as a form which-engages the inner side of the shoe uppen-includirig the seams uniting the vamp and the quarters, in.

k the region of the throat of the vamp, a coacting 40j shoe upper holding member herein illustrated as a strap whichengages the outer surface of the shoe upper; including. said seams; in the region.

of the throat of the vamp, a shoe upper holding member herein illustrated as a rear part form 45 which engages the interior of the heelport'ion of theupp'er; and actuating means for effecting relative movement of said shoe upper holding members for stretching the shoe upper lengthwise from the heel to the throat ofthe vamp. j

It is a further object of the invention to providem'eans for preventing dislocation of the rear' part of the upper on the rear part holding 'mem-' ber during the upper-stretching operation and with this objectin-view the invention in another 55 the upper: and -gripit against the inner realpart aspectthereof consists in the provision of a shoe' upper holding member constructed and arranged to engage the outer surface of the rear part' of herein illustrated as a tongue and a groove arranged for interengagement, for preventing the dislocation of the upper and holding the back seam portion of the upper straight during the lengthwisestretching operation.

In order that the upper may retain the stretch which is imparted to it by the machine, it is desirable for the stretching mechanism to main t'ain i-t's tension on the upper for a substantial interval and this is accomplished in the illustrated machine without reducing the output of V the machine 'by providing a plurality of shoe upper stretching mechanisms on a carrier, means for imparting intermittent movement to the carrier, a spring for actuating the upper-stretching devices, and means operating on the spring for releasing the stretching tension upon the upper preparatory to the removal of an upper which has been operated upon and the introductionof an unstretched upper into the machine. The means operating-on the spring also energizes the spring for the next upper-stretching operation. As "herein illustrated, the carrier is a rotary member which is operated through a Geneva movement and each of the upper-stretching asse'mbliesis provided with a toggle'm'echanism for energizing the spring which operates the upperstretching devices. In "the illustrated machine the Geneva movement not only advances the carrier but also actuates the toggle to energize the spring andto release the stretching tension upon the, upper to permit the-upper to be removed and another upper'to be introduced into the machine;

These and other features of the invention will.

now be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings illustrating a machine embodying theinvention and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

As shown in the drawings,

Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of a machine embodying my invention;

Fig. 2' is a vertical section through the said machine taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the shoe upper stretching mechanisms;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the shoe upper stretching mechanism shown in Fig. 3; taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; r

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 55 of Fig.

Fig. 6 is a sectionalview taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4, and l Fig.' 7 is a detail sectional view of the shoe plurality of upper heel-holding means.

Referring toFig. 1 of the drawings, the illustratedmachine'is provided with abase plate I,-

upon Which-two upright frames 2 and 3 are secured'bybolts 4. Thesaid two upright frames support a fixed shaft 5 which is secured to the upright framesby pins 6'. Mounted free torotate on the said shaft 5 is a wheel or carrier I which consists of a hub 8 and of six radially extended arms 9. The upper ends of the said arms are provided with flanges I (Fig. 2) which form a supporting base for carrying the shoe upper stretching mechanism H. The shoe upper stretching mechanism on each arm consists of a base plate l2, which is secured to the flanges ll) of the arms 9 by bolts l3 (Fig. 1). The rear portion of the base plate l2 has secured to it gibs l4 (Fig. 2) which provide a guideway in which is mounted a slidable support 11. A heel clamping member l8, which is adapted to engage the inner side of the shoe upper a, is rigidly connected to the slide I! by a projection 19 (Fig. 4) which fits into a hole in the forward end of the slide I1 and which is securely fastened thereto. A coacting heel clamping member 22, which is constructed and arranged to engage the outer side of the shoe upper a, is mounted on the slide I! in ways 23 provided therein for movement lengthwise of the upper to clamp the shoe upper against the clamping member iii. The clamping movement is accomplished through a manually operated screw 24. The heel clamping member I8 is provided with a recess or groove 25 which eX- tends heightwise of the upper and receives the back seam portion of the shoe upper a. The coacting clamping member 22 is provided with a rib or tongue 26 which presses the back seam portion of the shoe upper into the groove 25 in the member 18. The clamping members l8 and 22 hold the back seam in straightened condition and from sidewise movement on the heel clamping member l8 and they also compress and flatten down the back seam of the shoe upper. With a shoe upper provided with a back stay instead of with a back seam, the back seam clamping members should engage the center of the back stay and thus hold the shoe upper properly centered during the stretching operation by holding the heel end thereof from sidewise movement on the heel clamping member H3. The clamping member 22 is preferably lined with rubber pads 21 (Fig. 7) at each side of the rib 26 to prevent damage to the shoe upper and, as shown, the rib projects beyond the pads sufficiently to enable the rib to press the back seam or back stay of the shoe upper into the groove 25 in the clamping member 18.

For holding or gripping the upper in the region of the throat of the vamp the forward part of the base plate I2 is provided with shoe upper holding means comprising a form 28 and an outer clamping member 30 (Fig. 6) The form 28 engages the inner side of the forepart of the shoe upper, including the forward portions of the seams uniting the vamp and the quarters. The shoe upper engaging portions of the said clamping member are preferably covered with a rubber pad 29 to prevent damage to the lining of the shoe upper. The outer clamping member 30, which is preferably in the form of a U-shaped strap, is also lined with a rubber pad 3| and is arranged to hold the upper in natural condition, that is( to the approximate shape of a last, and is of a shape complementary to the shape of the clamping member 28. A recess 3| is provided to avoid engagement of the eyelets in the upper. The lower ends of the strap 36 extend downwardly below the base 62 and are secured to a crossbar 32, the said crossbar being arranged to slide on pins 33 which are located on the under side of the base plate I2. Springs 34 are interposed between the base plate l2 and the sliding bar 32,

normally holding the strap 30 in downward clamping position. The sliding bar 32 also carries at each side cam rolls 35 which are adapted to engage fixed cam plates 36 mounted on the two upright frames 2 and 3. When the cam rolls 35 engage said cams, the crossbar 32 is raised against the compressing action of the springs 34, thus raising the clamping strap 30 away from the form 28, as best shown in Fig. 6, and providing sufficient space for inserting and removing the shoe upper from the clamping members, this space being preferably limited to preclude any liability of the operators hand being introduced under the said clamping member 30.

The stretching of the shoe upper is accomplished by the provision of a strong compression spring 31 (Fig. 4) located between the forward end of the slide l1 and the end of an adjusting screw 38 which is carried by an abutment I2 of the base plate [2. The said adjusting screw is provided with a locking screw 39 to hold the said compression spring 31 in any suitable adjusted condition consistent with the type of shoe upper being stretched. To hold the said compression spring in proper alinement with the slide ll, said slide is provided with a long guide-pin 49 which passes through the said compression spring and also through the said adjusting screw 38. In the stopped position of the machine, as shown in Fig. 4, the slide I! is held at the limit of its movement toward the toe end of the upper against the action of the compression spring 31 to release the shoe upper from strain preparatory to its removal from the machine and preparatory to the insertion of an unstretched shoe upper into the machine. The slide H is held in this position by a toggle mechanism comprising a pair of links 42 (Figs. 4 and pivoted to a lug M on the slide and pivoted at their rear ends to a pair of links 43 which, in turn, are pivoted to the base plate I2. The toggle links carry cam rolls 44 which, just prior tothe machine coming to a stop, engage fixed cam plates 45 for straightening out the toggle, thereby to force the slide 11 forwardly against the action of the compression spring 31 to release the shoe upper from lengthwise strain. At this time and just before the cam plates 45 operate to force the slide I1 forwardly the cam rolls 35 of the clamping member 30 engage the cam 36 to open up the said shoe upper clamping member 30, as best shown in Fig. 4.

After an unstretched shoe upper has been inserted in the machine and the wheel 1 has started to rotate, the cam rolls 35 drop off the cam 36, allowing the compression springs 34 to force the clamping strap 30 downwardly upon the shoe upper and upon the seams in the region of the throat of the vamp and against the clamping member 28, thus very firmly holding the forward part of the shoe upper from rearward movement in the machine. While this is taking place, the cam rolls 44 are riding on surfaces 45' of the cam 45, which surfaces are arranged in an arouate path common to the direction of movement of the rolls with the wheel 1. As soon as the clamping action has taken place at the forward part of the shoe upper the cam roll 44 rides off of the cam 45, thus permitting the toggle 42 to buckle under the influence of the compression spring 31 and the full force of the compression spring 31 to stretch the shoe upper and its seams lengthwise.

To rotate the wheel I step-by step and also to hold it with the stretching mechanism in a predetermined stopped position, I have provided a Geneva movement comprisinga toothedrotor 46 secured onthe hub hand -.a disk' lmpinned to a.

. than the opposite side .of the .vamp preparatory to the lasting in of'the shank part, I have provided a toe support-55 (Fig. 3"), which is herein shown pivoted to the forward end of the .base plate I2, and so arranged that the operator may swing the said toe support soas to. set the inner side (great toe side) of the vamp with the tip seam farther forward ,in the'clamping members than the opposite side ofthe'vamp preparatory .to the actuation, of the machine and to. the clamping action of the clamping members28 and 30.

In the operation of the machine,.each of the six stretching mechanisms having been provided with a shoe upper, the: operator first removes the automatically released stretchedshoe upper from the horizontally disposed stretching mechanism. on top ot the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, mounts the stretched shoe upper on a last inany known manner and substitutes. an unstretched shoe upper therefor in the .machine. The operator then steps on the treadle and advances the wheel l sixty degrees in a clockwise direction to bring the nextxshoe back to. the loading station. Thus each shoe upper remainsunder stretch for a sufficient period of time to; retain a substantial amount of the stretch imparted to'it bythe machine. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:'

1:. A machine for stretchingshoe upperslengthwise having shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the vamp and the i seams uniting the vamp. and the quarters of the shoe upper in. the immediate vicinity of the throat of the vamp for holding, the shoe upper and the said seams from rearward movement,

, shoe upper heel-holding means in the-:form of coacting clamping membersadapted toengage theheel end of' the shoe upper atthe innerside and at the outer side thereof, one of the said coacting clamping members havingv a recess which receives the back seamportion of the shoe upper and the other clampingjmember havinga,

rib constructed and arranged to seam in the said recess. i i t 2. A machine for stretching shoe uppers length-1 wise having the elements recited in claim .1,

hold. the back and a spring for actuating the said shoe upper heel-holding means to. stretch the shoe upper lengthwise. l

3. A machine forstretching lengthwise a shoe upper havinga vamp andquarters. united to the vamp by seams comprising a shoe upperholding memberwhich engages the inner side of the shoe upper, including the seamsuniting the vamp and the quarters, in the regionof the throat of the vamp, a coacting shoe upper holding member which'engages the'outer side ofthe shoe-up per, including said seams, in the region of the throat of the-vampya shoeupper holding member which engages the inner side of the heel of the shoe upper, and actuating means for effect- :relative; movement. of :the said shoe upper holdingamembers for stretching the shoe upper lengthwiseirommheheel tothe throat of the vamp. g ..;4.;.Armachine fior stretching lengthwise a shoe upper ,havingta back seamv anda vamp and quartersnunite'dgto the vampby seams comprising;the elementsrrecited in claim 3, and a back seam holding-means,

5. A machine :forstretching lengthwise a shoe upper having .a. vampandquarters united to the vamp. by seams comprisinga shoe upper holding member whichengages the; inner side of the shoe upper, includi'ng'the seams uniting'the vamp and the quarters, inthe region of the throat of the vamp, a coacting shoe'upper holding member which engages the outer side of the shoe upper, including said seams,. in the region of the throat of thevamp, a shoe upper holding member which engages theinner side of the heel of the shoe upper; a shoe upperzholding member which engages'the. outer side-of the heel of the shoe upper, andactuating means forefiecting relative movement of :the said shoe upper holding members. for stretching the shoe upper and its seams lengthwise from the heel to the throat of the vamp.

GsA machine. for stretching lengthwise a shoe upperhavinga backseam comprising a shoe upperholding member which engages the inner side of the shoe-uppeiyincluding the seams uniting the vamp and: thequarters, in the region of the throat of the vamp, acoacting shoe upper holdingmember which engagesthe. outer side of the shoe upper, including the seams uniting the vamp and the quarters, in the region of the throat of the vamp, a shoe .upper holding member which engages the inner side; of the heel of vthe shoe upper, ashoe upper holding member adapted to engage the outer side of the heel of the shoe upper; back seam holding means. in theform of a projection'von the last-mentioned shoe upper holding member, and actuating means for effecting relative movement of the said shoe upper holding members for stretching the shoe upper lengthwise from the heel to the throatof the vamp;

7.. .A machineiror stretching lengthwise a shoe upper having a vamp and quarters united to the vamp by seams comprising a, shoe upper holding member. constructed and arranged to engage the inner side of theshoe upper, including the seams uniting. the vamp and the quarters, in the region of "the throat of the vamp and to engage the upper substantially from edge to edge, a coacting shoe upper holding member constructed and arrangedto engage the outer side of the .shoe upper, including the seams uniting the vamp and the quarters, in the regionof the throat of the vamp'and. to engage the uppersubstantially from edge to edge, a shoe upper holding member contoengage the inner side of the shoe .upper ineluding:the-seams .uniting v the vamp and the quarters, in the region of the throat of the vamp, a coacting shoe upper holding member constructed and arranged to engage the outer side of the shoe upper, including the seams uniting the vamp and the quarters, in the region of the throat of the vamp, a shoe upper holding member constructed and arranged to engage the back seam of the shoe upper at the inner side of the heel end of the shoe upper, a coacting shoe upper holding member constructed and arranged to engage the back seam of the shoe upper at the outer side of the heel end of the shoevupper for preventing dislocation of the shoe upper and holding the back seam straight during the lengthwise stretching action upon the shoe upper, and actuating means for efiecting relative movement of the said shoe upper holding members for stretching the shoe upper lengthwise from the heel end to the throat of the vamp.

9. A machine for stretching a shoe upper lengthwise having, in combination, a rotary carrier, a plurality of shoe upper stretching mechanisms mounted on the carrier, each mechanism having shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the forepart of the shoe upper and shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the heel end of the shoe upper, at Geneva movement for imparting intermittent movement to the rotary carrier, a spring for effecting relative movement of the shoe upper holding means to stretch the shoe upper lengthwise, means operating on the spring for releasing the stretching tension upon the shoe upper preparatory to the introduction of an unstretched shoe upper into the machine, and a single actuating means for the rotary carrier and for the spring compressing means.

10. A machine for stretching a shoe upper lengthwise having, in combination, a rotary carrier, a plurality of shoe upper stretching mechanisms mounted on the rotary carrier, each mechanism having shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the forepart of the shoe upper and shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the heel end of the shoe upper, means for imparting intermittent movement to the rotary carrier, a toggle mechanism for effecting relative movement of the said shoe upper holding means lengthwise of the shoe, and a single actuating means for the rotary carrier and the toggle.

11. A machine for stretching a shoe upper lengthwise having, in combination, a carrier, a plurality of shoe upper stretching mechanisms on the carrier, each mechanism having shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the forepart of the shoe upper and shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the heel end of the shoe upper, means for moving the carrier to present each shoe upper stretching mechanism in shoe upper receiving position for introduction of a shoe upper, a spring for effecting relative movement of the shoe upper holding means to stretch the upper lengthwise, means operating on the spring for releasing the stretching tension upon the shoe upper preparatory to the introduction of an unstretched shoe upper and for energizing the spring, and a single actuating means for operating the carrier and energizing the spring.

12. A machine for stretching a shoe upper lengthwise having, in combination, a carrier, a shoe upper stretching mechanism on the carrier comprising a shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the forepart of the shoe upper and arranged for closing movement heightwise of the upper, shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the heel end of the shoe upper and arranged for closing movement lengthwise of the upper, and a single actuating means for the shoe upper holding means which operates on the forepart and for the shoe upper holding means which operates on the heel end of the upper.

13. A machine for stretching a shoe upper lengthwise having, in combination, a movable carrier, a plurality of shoe upper stretching mechanisms mounted on the movable carrier, each mechanism having a shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the inner side of the shoe upper in the region of the throat of the vamp, a coacting shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the outer side of the shoe upper in the region of the throat of the vamp, a shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the inner side of the heel of the shoe upper, said shoe upper holding means being operable for yieldingly holding the shoe upper under lengthwise strain, actuating means for the said shoe upper holding means for stretching the shoe upper lengthwise from the heel to the throat of the vamp, and means for moving the carrier to present each shoe upper stretching mechanism in shoe upper receiving position for introduction of a shoe upper.

14. A machine for stretching a shoe upper lengthwise comprising a movable carrier, a plurality of shoe upper stretching mechanisms mounted on the carrier, each mechanism having a shoe upper holding member constructed and arranged to engage the inner side of the forepart of the shoe upper in the region of the throat of the vamp, a coacting shoe upper holding member constructed and arranged to engage the outer side of the forepart of the shoe upper in the region of the throat of the vamp, one of the said shoe upper holding members being arranged for movement towards and from the other shoe upper holding member, a shoe upper holding member constructed and arranged to engage the inner side of the heel portion of the shoe upper, actuating means for effecting relative movement of the said shoe upper holding members for stretching the shoe upper lengthwise from the heel to the throat of the vamp, means for imparting intermittent movements to the carrier to present each shoe upper stretching mechanism in shoe upper receiving position for introduction of a shoe upper, and actuating means on the said carrier moving means for releasing said forepart holding members preparatory to the removal of the stretched shoe upper from the machine.

15. A machine for stretching a shoe upper lengthwise comprising a movable carrier, a plurality of shoe upper stretching mechanisms mounted on the carrier, each mechanism having shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the forepart of the shoe upper, shoe upper holding means constructed and arranged to engage the rear part of the shoe upper and actuating means for moving the latter shoe upper holding means relatively to the former for stretching the shoe upper lengthwise, and means for intermittently moving the carrier to present each shoe upper stretching mechanism in a shoe upper receiving position for introduction of a shoe upper.

EUCLID I. LA CHAPELLE. 

